Machine for labeling cylindrical articles



H. GATES MACHINE FOR LABELING CYLINDRICAL ARTICLES Filed March .1. 1924 4 sheets sheet 1 l I I L I Dec. 6, 1927.

1,651,691 H. GATES MACHINE FOR LABELING CYLINDRICAL ARTICLES Fild March 1. 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 427 always Dec. 6, 1927.

' H. GATES MACHINE FOR LABELING CYLINDRICAL ARTICLES Filed March 1. 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 6, 1927.

H. GATES MACHINE} FOR LABELING CYLIHDRICAL ARTICLES 4 Sheets-sheaf 4 Filed March 1. 1924 Patented Dec. 6, 1927.

' .HORATIQ GATES, or WORCESTER, MA ssAcriusErrs.

MACHINE r03. LABELING oy'LINnnIoAL ArvricLns. I:

Application "filed nareii 1 1924. Serial. no. (#96328.-

This invention relates to la beling inachine of the type in which cylindricalartic'les to be labeled, or at-leastarticles that can be rolled along a path, are labeled as they} are advanced.

The principal objects of the invent-ionare to provide an improved way ofadvancing each rolling article into a position to receive "a label onits surface; to provide positively operating meansfor rotating the article on a stationary axis while the. label is being applied and also to provide'the labelholder with means for giving-it an irregular cir-. cular or orbital motion as the label is being taken therefrom and gummed by the gum-1 ming roll and advanced to a POSltiOIl' to come into'contact with the article to be labeled.

. The invention also 7 involves improvements in the details of-themechanism for accomplishing these objects and advantages of the invention will appear below.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Q 1 in accordance with this invention; K

Fig. 2 is a side view of the operative parts otthefmachine butpartly in section on the line 22 of Fig. 1 ust inside the side frame;

ing, taken on theline 4c4 of Fig. 1'; I V I Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional'view on; the line 55 of Fig. 1' through thef mainz the labeling mechanism; M V V h Fig. 7 is a plan of a part of the device'loo k- Fig. 3 is a detail'sectionalview on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectionalfviewio f" the far side of the device showing th shaft;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectionalivievv on the line 66 of Fig. 1 through. the center of r I I p M i Tsurface to app'lyonly a series of 'parallelfj strips of gum to' the labels. "shaft 12' by a, pair of screws 22, passing first ing in the direction of ithei arr'ow 7' in s D 1 Fig. 8 is a view 'lookingdown' at anangle as indicated by the arrow.8 of Fig.6 of the mechanism for rotating the articlel'to be 7 p the screws are located. Itfis intended to r0 tate once for each operationand the surface 'fsho'wn from one-endof the gap aroundto the,"

labeled while the label is appliedylf Fig.9 is an elevation 'of'th'e supporting means for the articles showing the track it self in transverse section;

Fig. 10 is a front elevationof adevice on Fig. 11 is a plan of a contact plate used of the othervparts. shaft 12 extending across the frame and hav- V 'ing on it a driving pulley-13 for operating I the machine from a belt, or, of course, it can. I

Fig. 1 is a plan'of a machine co nstructed 4 i v a gum bOX'IS-tl'ie'detai'ls ofwhich n'eed'not be set forth herein as any convenient formof labeled. U p. p Mounted in fixed position on a cross rod 25 in conjuction with the'cylinder oi:- roll which.

and Fig. 12 is a labeled cans and rolling the'la'bels on more firmly while the can rolls along and the um is drying. i

I have shown the invention as appliedltoaf machine comprising aframeflO mounted'on legs This frame 'consistsmainlyof two side pieces constituting the extreme sidesj'of the machine. The two sidepiecesarehheld togethr by bars .14 extending,acrosseach'; N

at the ends'and serving asisupports for some j The-re 18 also a main 'be driven in any other way.

On the shaft 12' there'is a gear 15 which.

througha gear 9, operates a gearlfi'on a} shatt 17 parallel with the pqwe shart. This shaft 17 carries a.

gum; roll 18 operating-"in gum box can be used. "The gum oradhesiive roller 20 which rotatesgby friction witht n p by the roll ls'and delivered. tpf -i ggum roll 18 and also with a gum carrying .member inthe form ofa drum21 positively fixed o'n'the main shaftfi12f The rol1,20

drum or roll 21 is provided with circumsferential" grooves so as to. provide inter medlate areasconstituting a gum carryingv through theshaft then into sectorshaped if I internal hubs at the" rearpand'is not Icon-j} 'tinuo'us allthe way around having a gap 23 extending the whole leiigth ofi t'and'in which v 'other'is designed soasto' besutficient to receive the entire label; .That ,ispthisconvex,

surfaceis atleast'equal to the circumference of one of the cans orother articles tobe is a contact plate 26. This plate is providedwith a series of slots 27 in its surface and it the drum. The parts of the plate between thegrooves are arranged alternately with the grooves in the drum and tangent thereto so that the labels will be guided into close con tact with the gummed drum. Although the surfaces'of these two members do not touch,

they force the label into a position to re p r can be instantly stopped by withdrawing the ceive gum throughout their length.

Also mounted on two cross rods 28 and 29 is a. comb 30. This comb is provided with slots which separate the teeth .31 from each othera These teeth are spaced apart the same distance as the grooves on the drum 2] and.

the comb is so located as to peel the label ofi the'drum and guide it over roll 32;,directly in contact with the rotating can or other article to be labeled as it is beingfed along by the drum as shown in Fig. 6. Meshing with the gear 15 isa gear 35 which drives I 'flat upper surface which supports a roll 65 on a gear .36 which in turn drives a gear 37 on ome shaft 33.. This gear 37 meshes with a gear 38 on av short shaft .39 and drives a gear 40; on the other shaft 33. The gears 37 and 40 are the same sizeso that the two rolls 32 are driven at the same surface speed. They operate to rotate the can in. the position A. Gear157 keyed on clutch. sleeve 56 meshes with large gear: 105 on stud 106. This gear 105 meshes with gear 41 of the same size on short shaft 42 which drives a shaft 413' throu'gth gear 104. r

On the sha 43 are three cams 44, 440 and 45. The cam 44 operates a roll 46 on a lever 47 pivoted on across shaft 48 againsta spring .49. ,On the end of this lever 47 there ispivoted another lever 50 which has a cam roll 51 engaging the surface of the cam which operates it againstthe action of a spring 51. On the lever there is a plate 52 which by the actionof the two canis44 and 45 is given an orbital or elliptical moson, as indicated by the series of, arrows 53.

Pivoted ,On the shaft 48 aretwo arms 54 which constitute a frame provided at theend witha freely rotatableroll 55. This frame has a roll 46%.resting on the cam 440 to give it a motion between the full line and the dotted line positions shown in Fig. 6. The rolls 32 and 55 are all alike .of rubber and 0f the same size. The rolls 32 are geared to run at a slightlygreater surface speed than the gumming drum 21 whichis feeding the label along, and consequently have a ten dency to stretch the label slightly so as tof draw and press it very firmly on to. the can, .leaving no wrinkles, air pockets or blisters.

On shaft 1 2, just inside of, drive gear 15 is a clutch sleeve 56 extending over to. a.

clutch hub 57 which is keyedtoshaft 12 next not being of novel construction need not be fully described. The object of this is to allow the clutch bolt 59 to enter the clutch hub,57 so that said sleeve with gear .and cams on same will be putin motion. That starts the label feeding and the can feeding mechanisms into full operation. The same clutch bolt from the clutch hub by the oppo site movement of the hand'lever at the will ofthe operator.

Mounted on the main shaft 12 there is a clutch sleeve 56 on which are keyed lifter cam 60 and pusher cam 71.

hung on a cross pivot shaft 63. i This frame 62 is bowed upwardly around the elements onthe shaft 12 and extends down at the rear thereof and terminates in a toe 6 1 having a the cradle 66. v This cradle is pivoted. on a Cam 60 opcrates a roll 61 freely rotatable on a frame 62- shaft 67 carried by a pair of arms 68 piv oted on cross shafts 69. One of them is held yieldingly forward by a spring 70 connected withitg r I V The cradle frame for the labelholding device and it is capable of a motion in an irregularly curved path or orbit at its front end. That end is raised and lowered by thB CELITl 60 as ex plained above.

Pusher camf71 keyed. on clutclrsleeve 56 66 constitutes. a supporting engages and operates back and forth horizontally a roll 72. .This roll is freely rotatable on a stud on the front end of a supportng frame 7 3 for the cradle 66. This frame is Thus the arms 75 and 68 swing together to forward and back to the skeleton frame 73. The cradle 66 has to partake of the to-and' is raised. and loweredby means of the can't 60.7 As the two cams that cause these two mot ons are on the samesleeve the niotion of the endv of the cradle will be uniform during each revolutionand will be in an irivoted on the shaft 67 and at its front one on studs 7 6. These studs 76 are mounts .ed on, pivoted arms 7 5' about as long as the arms 68 and pivotedat 77 on housing 78.

fro motion of the frame 73 but its front end 7 this plate is a spring 96 adapted to engage. a,

to move. This lever is connected with-a caslng 84 in which is a spring-pressed sliding pawl 85 adapted to engage a ratchet wheel 86 and turn it through the space of one tooth r if desired every time the lever oscillates This ratchet wheel'is located on a screw-shaft 87 extending longitudinally with respect to the cradle. This screw, therefore, is turned through part oflarotation every time the cradle moves back and forth. It passes through a nut 88 which is formed of two parts having finger pieces 89 projecting from them adapted to be held together by a spring. The two parts of the nut are pivoted on a bolt 90 which is supported by the label follower base 91 of the label holder. There fore, the rotation of the shaft feeds this follower andthe labels alongstep by step toward the drum or cylinder 21.

the label holder 92. This label holder'need not be described in-full, but two side walls are adapted to be adjusted toward each other by a right and left hand screw 93 operated by hand wheel 94 on it. The screw passes through nuts connected to the sides of the frame so that :the sides can be adjusted toward and from each other for labels of diflerentwidths. r V p I Located on the front of the labelholder is a cross bar 93 from'which depends a 'sheet metal guard plate. 94 'haviug spaced teeth 95 at the. bottom. Extending from rod 97 and press'the plate yieldingly against the labels, the object of which is to exert'a gentle pressure against the front or exposed label so as to overcome any tendency for it to sag, also .to prevent a second label belng 1 slightly drawn down while the front label is being drawn away from the rest of the pack by the drum, at the instant when thelabel holder ceases to travel downward at the same speed as the front" label is being moved by the drum. The object of the slots and teeth on the lower endof this plate is to "allow-it to press into the grooves in the drum beyond 7 the surface of same so as not to interfere with the proper gumming of the label The labels stand in an inclined position,

the bottom endsresting on a plate or fioorof the holderat right angles with each other.

with portions of said plate extending out in front of the labels. This plate is provided with one'or more sharp,,thin,- knife points, projecting sli htly upwardly, from same at a slight distance in front of the labels for the purpose of preventing a second label following the one being taken from the holder by the drum;

In the modification shown in Fig. 12 a different means is illustrated for guidingthe. cansor bottles away from the rolls In thiscase an endless belt 100 is arranged to support thecans and there is a' guide 101 On cradle 66 are located the side walls ofabove it with a softer yielding surface 102 toengage the .tops'of the 'cans or the like i This is a substitute forthe form shown in Fig. 2, for example, and I prefer to use it in practiceuas it gives the labels 'an'additional pressure after being rolled onby' the pressure rolls; p

Operation.

The gum boa having been supplied with gum and a packet labels properly adjusted inst-he label holder and the feed chute supplied with cans'to be labeled, the motor is switched on. The gummingrolls and drum are thus set fin'motion, and allowed to run until the operator has-properly adjusted the gumming mechanismso that j ust the desired amount of gum is being applied to the drum. Then the clutch bolt is thrown in by a simple movement of the hand lever, and the machine is then in full operation. The label holderadvances'in a forward and down-,

ward movement, bringing the bottom of the foremost label in contact with the advanced ends of the circumferential ribs of the drum.- Then the drum and label holder move along together for a space of two inches more or less, while the end of'the first label, which attached to the gummed' surface of the j drum, has been'movedaway fromthe pack past the sharp edged obstructionsin the end ofthe label holder near the front of the pack i for the purpose of preventing-more than one i label to-hmoveout of the holder at'a time. Then the .label holdersta-rts to recede slight-' ly from contact with the drum,;leavinglthe front label freeto be drawn out of" the holder. Then the detached label is being moved along between the upper surface of. v

t-he contact plate and the drum to thecomb where it lsi removed from the drum, and

guided into contact with the articleto be:

labelled, as shown in 6. Thellabel holder continues to move in itsirregularly curved path until it brings another label in contact with the drum and soon, until the operator throws the clutchbolt out which will.immediately-bring the label, andthe' can feeding mechanisms to a stop.

In order that the pack of labels i holder may be always in position, so that the against the drumas'hard as desired. The springon the pawl-will yield so that. the

operation of the mechanism takes place just at the time when the labels have fully conthe labels are sure of always getting just the desired pressure against the drum. This tacted with the drum, and finishes the operation before the label holder begins to 'recede from the drum on its backward movement.

7 As will be readily understood by the above; description, the machine is fully automatic,

the label holder forward a very slight di tance. The number of teeth on this, ratchet wheel 86 and the'other parts are so proportioned that this feed will be substantially the same as the thickness of the label. When it is desired to oraw back the frame 91 and reset the parts to take a new stack of labels the two finger pieces on the half nuts 89 will be forced apart, then the whole thingcan be slipped down the screw to a new position.

Although I have illustrated and described only a single form of the inven n, i am aware of the fact that modifications can be made'therein by any person. skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do not wish. to be limited in these respects, but what I do claim is a 1. Ina label gummin and feeding device, the combination of a gumming member, a labelliolder adapted to hold the labels with the exposed label in position to beengaged by the gumming member, and means for moving the label holder along with and away from the gumming member in a non-circular orbital path to detach the label from the holder and leave it adhering to the gumming member. j i

2 Ina label feedingdevice, the combination with a gumming member having a movable gum carrying surface, of a label holder bodily movable in a direction toward and from the gumming member, and adapted todeposit a label thereon flat/wise, and means for moving the label holder in a curved'path transverse to the plane of the eXpos-edlab'el' in the holder. I

In a label feeding 'device'the combiiation with a gumming member having a movable gum carrying surface, of a label holder movable toward and from the gummin member, and supporting a bundleof labels on edge, said holder being movable in a direction transverse to the planeof the exposed end label against the guniming member and then in a continuous path along with the gum carrying surface.

4;. In a label feeding device, the combination with a rotatable gumming drum having a gum carrying surface, of a label holder movable toward and from the V gumming member and adapted to deposit a label there convex surface of the drum.

5. In a label feeding device, the combinae" tion of a gumming member, with a lab el holder adapted to hold the'exposed labelin position to be engaged by the gumming mem ber, a guard plate pivoted from above, means for limiting the forward motion of the guard plate to hold the upper edgesof the labels at the delivery side thereof, and yielding means for holding the guard plate against the labels when the hunting means is in operation.

6. In a label feeding device, the combination of a rotary gumming member, with a label holder adapted to hold the exposed label in position to be engaged by the gumming member, means for moving the label holder away from the gumming member to! detach the label from the holder, the label holder having a guard plate pivoted from above, means for limiting the forward motion of the guard plate to hold the upper edges of the labels at the delivery side there of, and yielding means for holding the guard plate against the labels when the limiting means is in operation.

7. In a labeling machine, thecombination with a label holder movable'in an orbital path,.of a gumming roll located in a position to receive the front label against its surface and rotatable at a speed to movejthe" label along with it in time with the motion of the label holder in the same direction, and

means for drawing the label holder bodily V back from the gumming roll.

8. In a labeling inachlne, the comblnation with a rotary gumm'ing roll, of -'a frame movable back and forth toward and from the gumming roll, a cradle carried by the frame and pivoted thereto at one end, a movable member having means for supporting the other end of the cradle and moving. it up and down, and a label holder mounted on the front end of the cradle with an open side adjacent to the gum roll.

9. In a labeling machine, the combination with a rotary gum roll, of a frame, means for moving the frame periodically, a cradle carried by the frame and pivoted thereto at one end, means whereby the cradle is given an orbital motion at its front end, and a label holder mounted on the front end of the cradle with its feeding side adjacent to forward and back with a parallel motion,

a cradle carried by the frame and pivoted 130 thereto at one end, an upwardly and down front end, and a label holder mounted on side adjacent tothe'gum roll. :4 r 11. In a labellng machine; the combination with a label holder movable infa'n' or;

the front end of the cradle with its feeding bital Path of s 'g roll located'i-nia position to receive the front'label' against its surface, means for positively rotating it at aspeed to move thelabelalong'witlrit in time with the motion of the label'holder in the same directiomsaid" drum having a convex surface aslong circumferentially as the length of the labels but less than a com 12. Ina label feeding device, the combina tion of'a rotary-gumming member, a'label holder adapted to hold the exposed label in position to be engaged by the gumining member to detach the end label from the holder, said gumming member having grooves, and a fixed contact plate having grooves alternating with the grooves of the gumming member, the contact plate-being in position to engage a label carried by the gumming member.

13. In a label feeding device, the combination of a gummin'g cylinder having grooves, a stationary contact plate having grooves alternating with the grooves of the gumming cylinder, the contact plateibeing in position to engage a label carried by the gumming cylinder, the upper side of the contact plate engaging the'label where it is unsupported by the gumming cylinder, and stationary means for taking the labels'from the gum an orbital path for engaging an article on" ming cylinder. 7 t p 14. In a label feeding device, the combination of a gunnning cylinder having grooves, a contact plate having grooves alternating with the grooves of the gumming cylinder, the contact plate being in position to' engage a label carried by the gumming cylinder, and acomb fixed in position and projecting into the grooves of the gumming cylinder to positively remove the labels therefrom. V 15. In a labeling machine, the combination with a pair of tracks along which ar- 'ticles to be labeled can rollfsaid tracks having means forming a part thereof for receiving one of said artlcles and prevent ng its rolling further along the track, aplate for engaging an article, and means for moving said plate in an orbital path to force the V V article upwardly and forwardly.

16. In a labeling machine, the combination with a pair of tracks along which articles to be labeled can roll, means for engaging one of said articles and preventing its rolling further along the track, a lever having a plate thereon for engaging an article in said depression, means for operating the end of said lever to move the plate in an orbital path to force the article upwardly from said depression and forwardly along the track, a's'et of three rolls located in position toreceive the article between them when movedzb'y the plate,means for positively rorating someofsaid rolls to rotate-the article tion with atrack down which the'farti cles 7 to be labeled ar'e adapted to roll, of a s'haft,

two cams on said shaft, a lever pivoted-at one side of said shaft andh'aving means by which one of-said cams'swings' it on V pivot, a secondlever' pivoted on the end of 8J53- ,I i

the first leverand havingmeane by which the other of said eamsswings' it" omits-own.

pivot While it is swinging on the first named lever, and a, plate on the second lever movable in an orbital path for engaging an article on the track and moving it upwardly therefrom-and forwardly into a position to be labeled. v

18. In a labelingimachine, the combination with a track down whichthe articles i to be labeled are adapted to roll, of a shaft,

three cams on said shaft,a leverpivoted at one side of said shaft and having means by which one of said cam-s swings it on its 7 pivot, a second lever pivoted on the end of the first lever and having meansby which another of said cams swings it on'itsown pivot while it is swinging on the first named lever, a plate on the second lever movable in 19.In a labeling machine, the 'combination vwith a pair of inclined tracks-down which articles to be labeled can roll, said tracks having a depression for receiving'one ofsaid articles and preventing its rolling further down the rack, a lever having a plate thereon for engaging an article'in said depression, means for operating said lever in such a way as to movev the plate in an orbital path to force the article upwardly" from said depression and forwardly above U the track, a set of rolls located in position to receive the article between' them when moved by the plate, and means for rotating some of said rolls to propel the article around and cause it to rotateon its own axis.

20. In a labeling machine, the combination with tracksdown which articles tobe labeled are rolled, said tracks having an in;

j terruption, a roller located at the interrupted part ofthe tracks, means for-.movingthe roller to elevate an article on the tracks located, over the roller; a pair of propelling rolls'in position to be engaged bythe article I when moved upwardly by the first named propelled. .7 m

' labeled are rolled, said]ehute havinganim' 21.v Inlatlabeling;lniachine, the I combinationwitli a chute down which articles, to be terruption a roller located in the interrupted part of the. chute, ineans for moving the roller through the chute to elevatel an article therein located over the roller, a pair of propellingrolls in position to be engaged by the article'when moved upwardly by the first named roll, and means for positively rotating said propelling rolls to rotate the article when held between the three rolls.

22.- In a labeling machine, the combina tion with a pair of tracks along whichar ticles to belabeled can rollymeansfor engaging one "of said articles and moving it upwardly and forwardly along the. track,

a setof three/rolls located in position to 2;;

receive the article between them, rneans fori positively rotating some of said rolls to rotate the article on its own axis, means forfeeding a label with its gummed side against 1.

the article while itis rotating, and means for moving one of said rollers away; from the article to permit it to descend back on the track and roll out of labeling position In testimony whereof I have hereunto caffixed my signature.

I HORATIO GATES 

